Opening of Air Corridor Linking Afghanistan with Turkey & Europe

Afghanistan inaugurates its latest in a series of air cargo trade corridors on Wednesday.

The Mazar-e-Sharif-Turkey-Europe air corridor was formally opened during a special ceremony at the Maulana Jalaluddin Balkhi International airport in Mazar-e-Sharif, capital of northern Balkh province.

The cargo carrying five tons of dried fruits was sent on a Turkish Airlines flight to London.

Deputy commerce and industry minister Zohoruddin Shirzada said Afghanistan as a landlocked country must have alternative trade routes.

“The air corridor has been one of the effective programs of the national unity government for export development,” said Shirzada.

Afghanistan has so far exported 5,400 tons of goods worth USD 100 million through the air corridors that it has recently established with various countries.

So far 320 flights have taken place through the air corridors, exporting 5400 tons of goods including dried and fresh fruits, saffron and animal skins to Arab countries, India, China, Kazakhstan, Turkey and France.

Afghanistan’s first air corridor was with India that was inaugurated in June of 2017. The first Delhi-bound cargo plane left Kabul, carrying 60 tons of medicinal plants left Kabul.

Consequently, Afghanistan established the air corridor with Kazakhstan. It’s third air corridor was Kandahar-Delhi, followed by Kabul-Turkey, and United Arab Emirate, Kabul-China, Kabul-Jeddah and EU countries.